d nurses surrounded Deanna,

had promised her freedom-whenever she wish

ed to hold

on made that

her peers who were still scrambling for spots at top hos

ent, her talent guara

r three long years. Now that she'd shaken off his infl

n was a bles

wed against Gillian. The staff could not h

f skill and willingness to ment

idor, Deanna noticed T

, led a small group pushin

aded, Deanna?" Th

the makeup artist following behind, she replied

ss slipped from her hand and landed at her

meant to apologiz

cked up the dress and returned it to her. "Tha

y nudged Theresa's chin upward. "Wait for me in m

tuality was n

s later, she stepped

eyes meeting Judie's in shared bewilderment. "Mom,

er behavior? You lost the baby, and the Dixon family tossed all the

e connects the dots and figures out that I

ight from your cousin's lab, and that place has tighter security than anywhere else in the cou

me. Deanna's the type who never misses a detail, and if she uncovers th

give him a reminder. If your husband had any ba

opped her. "Don't call out there, Mom. With so many

Even so, she made the call right there and whispered

assured her with a little flat

the miscarriage without digging for answers. With Gillian's charm, she can handle them easily. Relax. Once she ditches th

rang out lo

ng light blinked in a shadowy

he returned to a scene o

help but exclaim, "Does Deann

r hands on her hips. "She deserves better than just a handf

lf wishing she had a

eryone not involved to

e placed a ca

e call went to

directly. Every conversation went through the secretary, and all her reque

etary answered, already sounding annoyed. "Hello. If you need som

lared at the arrog

ecretary had adopted Co

heresa had no doubt Connor's arroganc

ady her and said coldly, "Let Connor know Gillian's situa

an instant, though he still sounde

sure this is all because of that jerk's instructions. If it

Connor's chilly voice rang out from the

oing fine. Actually, I'm cal

nor let out a scoff that barely masked his

t she held back for Deanna's sake, biting dow

taught her to keep her emotions tightly reined

ble this afternoon. Let's meet at the cour

So you're really ending this? Deanna, I don't have the t

"I've already made up my mind. I'll

d divorce agreement at your office in five minutes. That's

inished, the call e

echoed in Con

mmediately stopping in his tracks as he c

to make anyone hesitate

ne made it clear he had littl

placed a folder on the desk. "This just arrive

the divorce agreement. Deanna's signature was alre

d Deanna wanted to leave

tossed the agreemen

est move creative. Pretending not

nothing more than another attempt to draw his focu

aiming for this time? Does she really believe this will wipe away her part

th sarcasm, the mocke

ed to end things, let's make it happen. I want to s

leared his afternoon of

s warned that spoiling a woman's

he refuse to take the blame for what happened, but she also

or looked forward to watching

stubborn streak, hoping she'd learn to

Deanna meant every word about